Front sight for guns



C.- R; KEERAN.

FRONT SIGHTJFOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 16. 1917.

1,380,150. Patented M y 31,1921,

.a citizen of the i'l STAT CHARLES R. KEERAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FRONT SIGHT FOB GUNS.

Application filed November 1 T 0 all whom it may comem Be it known that1,

which are eliminatedin my improved front sight. In aiming at rifle, itis generally regarded as best practice to hold the bead just below thebottom edge of the target, allowing a slight space to appear between thetop edge of the bead and the bottom edge of the target. This does not,however, insure exact aiming, as there is always a question of how closeto hold. Particularly is this a difiicult matter if the light is poor.Theoretically the best sight is one with which it is possible to holdthe bead directly on the target. The nearest approach tosuch a sight iswhat is known as the telescope sight in which use is made ofcross-hairs.

It is the primary. purpose of this invention to provide a front sightpossessing parts'are so assembly.

many of the advantages of the telescope sight without the drawbacksinherent in that type of sight, such as high cost,-delicateparts, andunwieldiness. A bead is held by cross-hairs in the present form ofsight, and instead of interfering with the vision of the shooter, as isthe case when the ordinary bead sight is used, my improved deviceassists the shooter to quickly put the bead directly on the target.Besides en'- abling the shooter to aim better and quicker, my inventionpossesses other advantages, such as: (1) it is so constructed as to beeasily removed or replaced whenever desired; (2') it. is so mountedonthe gun barrel as to receive protection at it is so arranged as to guidethe eye in ac curately aiming whether the target he moving orstationary;

formed as to facilitate accurate tained in the present front sight, oneem- CHARLES KEERAN, United States, residing at shell, whenever properalltimes; (3)

and (4) its component 2 These and other objects are at- Specification ofLetters Patent. Patented May 31, 1921.

6, 1917. Serial No. 202,277.

bodiment of which is illustrated in the several figures of the drawing,wherein:

Figure 1 shows a rifle of conventional design equipped with my improvedfront containing the sight;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section therethrough, taken on line 5-5of Fig 4; Fig. 6 is a detail in perspective of the cross-hairs beforeassembly;

Fig. 7 represents a modified design of hood construction;

caries."

- Fig. 8 is a cross section therethrough and through the gun barrelmounted;

Fig. 9 is a plan view thereof and Fig. 10 is a side elevation pf a stillfurther modified 'hood construction.

The rifle illustrated in Fig. 1 hason its tang. 11, a rear sight 12, andon the forward end of its barrel 13, the front sight 14, which forms thesubject of the present invention. The rear sight may be of any approvedkind, preferably equipped with an aperture through which the eye maylook to line up the front sight with the target.

As appears best in Figs. 4 and 5, my front sight consists of twoprincipal elements, (1) a hood'15 having a base 16 fitted within adove-tailed slot 17 formed transversely o the gun barrel, and (2) acylindrical shell 18 arranged to fit within the hood. The engagingsurfaces of the hood and shell may be slightly tapered, if desired, sothat the latter element will fit snugly within the hood. I prefer thatthese be constructed to permit removal of the desired, leaving only thehood fixedly secured to the barrel. The replacement of the shell isassuredby a rib 19 mounted on the inner side of the hood, the riballowing insertion of the shell only when the latter 1s correctlyrotated to present a groove 20 formed 'n the shellssurface in positionto register wlththe rib 19.

The exterior surface of the shell is formed with a pa ipheral g'rooye orchannel. 21.

on which it is elements should Also through the shell, extending inparallel relation to its axis, are several slits 22, four in number inthe construction shown, and

situated 90 degrees apart. Interiorly of the shell extendingdiametrically across between the slits are cross-hairs consisting of twothin metallic strips and 6) of similar formatlom'each provided with aslit 2* at its middle pointextending transversely for about half itswidth. In assembling these strips 23 into the shell they are insertedthrough diametrically oppoflte slits 22 and in planesone-in advance ofthe other. They are then moved intolapping relation, this being po$ibleby reason of the slits 24, and into the same plane with the and flushwith the outer surfaeeof the shell.

may, if desired,

channel 21 on the outer side of the shell. These two strips 23 are eachof suchlength as to project end portions 25 through the shell, theseends clenched or otherwise secured to lie within the channel 21 t willbe. notedthat the strips 23 occupy Vertical and horizontal positionswithin the shell at all times, owing to the rib and the strips withingroove means provided for alining theshell are preferably formed of verythin nietal.

- ahead or above the taproperly withm the hood. It is, furthermore, tobe observed that the strips which present the efiect of cross-hairs,with a bead or pm-point at the center, of the sight,

enablingthe shooter-to accurately aim the.

gun, and'place the center ofthe' sight directly upon the target. Ifnecessary to aim et the presence of the horizontal and vertlcal crosshairs will ployecl to aid the shooter in estimating the proper lead orelevation required to hit the target. In the form shownin Figs. 7 to 9incluslve, the hood proper designated as 27 is formed with the usualbase 28 arranged to be locked within a'suitable slot 29 in the gunbarrel. The rear end 30 of the hood is ex-v tended, however, and istapered clear to its extremity 31. At this 'point it may be slotted, ifdesired, as at 32, to facilitate reverse bending in conformity with thecurve of the proximate surface of the barrel. If preferred, the hood maybe slightly sprung to br1ng it to its final osition, as shown in Fig. 7.so that it upon the barrel; In the construction 0 F-i 10, substantiallythe sameform of hood is used, exceptthat a band or'ring 32 is emretainthe rear extremity of the hood tightly upon the barrel.

By providing a protecting hood for the 23 (see Figs." 5

s permanently in.

with an annular channel, and cross halrs.

always lie ti htly i gun barrel, the she shell containing thecross-hairs, eliminate danger of these delicate parts being accidentallystruck or harmed. It frequently happens, in carrying a gun, that theforward end of the barrel hits agamst some obstruc tion, such as mightinjure a sight of the kind under description. Any injury from such acause is prevented by means of the present hood, the form shown in F' 7to 10 inclusive being particularly e ective for this purpose, owing tothe rearward taper of its walls, which tends 'to'deflect any-blow whichthe hood might otherwise receive. The shell containing thesecross-hairs, on account of' placed directly upon the target.

, I claim:

1. A'front sight for guns,vco n sistingof a hood secured to thegunbarrel, a shell removably positioned within the hood, the enaim.

gaging surfaces of the shell and hood being tapered," permitting a tightfit therebetween if desired, and coiiperatmg means on the hood and shellthe entrance of the latter only w en it is in a predetermined rotativeposition relative to the hood, and

cross hairs mounted within, the shell, substantially asdescribed. T I

2. A front sight for guns, comprising a hood secured to the gun barrel,a' shell re-' movably positioned within the hood, 00-] it is inpredetermined rotative'relation relative to the hood, and crow hairsmounted mounted within theshell consistin of two thin strips arranged inright angular relation to each other and in the 'lane of the channel,'there being slits longitudinally of strips are exten the channel,substantially as described. 4. A front. sight for guns, including a clindrical shell ada ted for mounting on t e being formed exteriorlyoperatin means on the hood and shell, rmitting t e entrance'of thelatter only w on its with an annular channel and with four slits r I theshell through which the ends of the ed to lie in clenched. i-.

tion upon the exterior of the shell within lon itudinally of its body,the length of each slit being at least twice the width of the channel,and cross hairs mounted within the shell consisting of thin stripsarranged in right, angular relation to each other and in the plane ofthe channel, the combined width of the strips being'slightly less thanthe length of the slits, and the ends of the strips i being enteredthrough the slits and clenched exteriorly of the shell within thechannel, 10

substantially asdescribed. r

' CHARLES R. KEERAN. Witness:

EPIHZRAIM Bmm v

